In physics, the sound intensity level reaches 85 decibels (dB) or stronger can cause a permanent damage to auditory system. Though it may seem the quieter the sound, the longer you can listen to without causing any hazard; hearing duration is nevertheless one important factor contributing to such derogation. Hence, exposure to any common sounds for a long period of time can cause permanent hearing loss, for some common sounds may be louder than we realize.

85-140 dB art exhibition presents contemporary sound and media installation works about imaginary silence, to explore the concept of how vibration-induced energy travels through the transmission medium to the brain in terms of both physiology and psychology, and possibly be restricted or tackled from various forms of exposure, emission and communication in each individual or society. The works have been intentionally selected as a challenge upon the ability to break free from these fetters inhibit and impair our ability to access, perceive, understand, analyze, investigate, question, suspect, or even differentiate between reality and illusion around us.

The work by Albrecht Pischel brings the audience to a state of delusion between hearing and visual perception. It also takes us to interrogate upon the outcome of surveillance system operation, which creates restriction in everyday life that visualization alone cannot properly represent.

Arnont Nongyao deliberately presents a space of variation occurred through time via his experiments with intervention in the quality of audio transmission. Such disturbance results in new dimension of hearing. But each receiver can perceive the details of sound wave and frequency with different sense.

While the painting of Paphonsak La-or implies between hearing limitation and result of voicing the taboo, through the overlap between past and present as well as interaction of people living in different place and status. But, they try to utter something conjointly on the virtual world.

The work by Pisitakun Kuntalang takes us across the trap of our complicated and fatigued perception of reality into the virtual world he’s experienced, to query the sense of existence, exiting and fleeing strategy from a society full of suppression. Discovering space within the senses may help us move on.

The interesting thing about the work by Sompot Chidgasornpongse is the familiar image we’ve seen everyday for a long time. The music Gymnopédies No.1 the artist uses in the work also has repeated melodies, seeming to deliberately create familiarity upon human senses and give rise to some value.

** 85-140 dB is part of a research and archive based exhibition project [R]Ejecting Mantra. **